Pink Charm Daffodil

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One of the new daffodils in our yard this year was Pink Charm. The blossoms are gone, but the memories are still with us.

Chinese Architecture

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During my first trip to China I was absolutely fascinated by the traditional Chinese architecture (I still am). I took this picture of the roofline of the Friendship Hotel in Beijing in June, 1987.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Evening in the Mountains

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Our good friends Judy and Charlie have a cabin in the North Carolina mountains near Franklin. They have invited us to visit them and enjoy the grandeur of the mountains from their deck. This picture was taken one evening last May.

Pink Dogwood

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One of the sure signs of Spring is the blossoms on the pink dogwood tree in our front yard. The blossoms never seem to stay around as long as we would like, but they are beautiful while they last.

Tahiti Daffodil

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The high winds and heavy rains of Saturday pretty much did in our remaining tulips and daffodils. Fortunately we have pictures by which to remember those glorious Spring blossoms. The Tahiti Daffodil has graced our yard for several years.

Cane Creek Cascade

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Betsy and I were at Fall Creek Falls State Park on Wednesday and we stopped by Cane Creek Cascade, one of our favorite spots in the park. This picture of the cascade was taken on an earlier visit, but I like it because it looks as if a giant fish or turtle is about to emerge through the water. If you look closely you can see his mouth and eye.

Barefoot Landing

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Barefoot Landing is a shopping and entertainment development in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This picture, originally a slide, was taken in January, 1998. The slide was damaged, but I discovered I could obscure the damage with a soft focus and still keep the reflection that I liked so much.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Niagara Falls

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A visit to Niagara Falls offers many interesting perspectives for photographs. The ground-level photo above captures both waterfalls. The American Falls is in the foreground while the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls is in the background.

Waterfall on Northern Tributary of Log Hollow Branch

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In December of last year Betsy and I spent a couple of days near Brevard, North Carolina, visiting waterfalls. We visited three waterfalls along Log Hollow Branch during a hike along a nice two-mile trail. Two of the waterfalls were right off the trail, but we had to bushwhack to reach the very first one, shown above.

Victoria Harbor

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Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, is one of the world's biggest and busiest harbors. This picture was taken in 1987 from the Kowloon side of the harbor looking across to the Central District of Hong Kong Island on the opposite shore.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Union Temple Falls

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Over the Thanksgiving weekend last year Betsy and I visited some waterfalls in northeastern Tennessee that we hadn't seen before. One such waterfall was Union Temple Falls, near Bailyton, Tennessee.

Reaching for the Sky

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I lived in the mountains of North Carolina for several years and never got tired of seeing the way the mountains seemed to reach up to touch the sky. This picture was taken on a May morning last year near Franklin, North Carolina.

Life's A Cabernet Tulip

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We've been enjoying the tulips in our yard this year -- they've put on quite a show. The tulip above is one of the new ones in our yard this year -- Life's a Cabernet. I have no idea how it got that name, but it is pretty.

Waterfalls Can Be Dangerous

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Waterfalls can be dangerous. Much of the literature warns about the dangers of getting too close. But the danger isn't just for people. I found this stag at the base of Slick Rock Falls in North Carolina, in December, 2009. It apparently had fallen over the falls.

Redbud Tree

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We have two redbud trees in our yard, and both are beginning to bloom. The one closest to the road is actually the prettiest. The picture above was taken last year at this time.

Pansies Are Hardy

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Each autumn Betsy and I plant pansies in our yard. If we're lucky they will provide some color until Spring. This past winter was much rougher than normal and we didn't have many blossoms most of the time. The pansies that survived looked pretty bedraggled a short month ago, but now they have perked up and are blooming nicely.

A Picture of Old China

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While taking us through the Temple of Heaven in Beijing in 1987, our host stopped this elderly gentleman to ask a question. The man struck me as a perfect example of 'old' China, so I quickly snapped his picture.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Virginia's Natural Bridge

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Virginia's Natural Bridge is about 20 stories high and is quite a sight to see. It is also associated with two of our Founding Fathers. Legend says that George Washington surveyed the Natural Bridge in 1750 and Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England in 1774.

Nothing Finer Than Carolina in the Morning

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I know I'm showing my age, but I can't help thinking of the song lyrics 'Nothing Could Be Finer Than to be in Carolina in the Morning'. The picture above was taken on a July morning while we were visiting my son north of Asheville, North Carolina. I'm not sure anything could be finer than a day like this.

Rembering Last Year's Iris

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We're not to the point where we have iris in bloom this year, but they are looking nice and healthy. These are a few of the iris we had in our yard last year.

Ruins of a Watchtower

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I took this picture of the ruins of a watchtower on the Great Wall in 1987. At that time it was easy to see sections of the wall in ruins near many of the major tourist areas.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

A Floating Restaurant

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This floating restaurant is located in Aberdeen, a fishing village on Hong Kong island. We passed this restaurant while on a boat tour of Aberdeen during a stop in Hong Kong on our way to China in 1987. Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to eat at this restaurant.

Betsy and I are taking off a couple of days off to enjoy Easter with family. I expect us to be out of pocket until Monday evening, so my next post will probably be Tuesday morning. But I hope all of you have a blessed and joyous Easter. I hope the weekend will bring all of you many happy memories.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Imperial Vault of Heaven

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I visited China for the first time in 1987. While in Beijing, our host took us to visit the Temple of Heaven, which was constructed in 1420. One of three major structures in the Temple is the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The Vault of Heaven is made of bricks and timber and is surrounded by white marble railings. The Vault contained a shrine which held the Tablet of the God of Heaven. The Chinese emperor was considered the Son of Heaven.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Mom and Dad

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This picture of Mom and Dad was taken a couple of years ago when we were at their house for the Fourth of July. They usually put up a fuss when we try to get their picture, but this time they let me get a quick picture.

Betsy and I will be going to Hendersonville today to help out Mom and Dad. We'll be gone all day, so I'll catch up with you as quickly as I can.